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(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 1.

E. & H. OROWE.

GAS AND HYDROGARB ON MOTIVE ENGINE.

No. 450,612. Patented Apr. 21,1891.

(No Model.)

3 Sheets- -Shem; 2. E. & H. GROWE. GAS AND HYDROGARBON MOTIVE ENGINE.

Patented Apr. 21,1891;

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

. E. & H. OROWE. GAS AND HYDRYOUARBON MOTIVE ENGINE. No 450,612. Patented Apr. 21, 1891.

I if a; 7,: gl/ifizl ag 7 w l v \y on the line 3 3 in Fig. 7.

NlTE STATES EDW ARD CRO\VE AND HENRY CROlVE, OF MIDDLESBROUGH, ENGLAND.

- GAS AND HYDR O CARBON MOTIVE. ENGIN E.

SPEGIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 450,612, dated April 21, 1891.

Applicationfiled September 1, 1890. Serial No. 863,695. (No model.) Patented in England May 7, 1889, No. 7,594.

To 0% whom it may concern.-

Be it known that We, EDWARD OROWE and HENRY CROWE, residing at Middlesbrough, in the county of York, Great Britain,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas and Hydrocarbon Motive Engines, (for which we have obtained a patent in England No. 7,594, dated May 7,1889;) and we do hereby declare thefollowingtobeafull,clear, and exact description of the'invent-ion, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to gas and hydrocarbon engines; and it consists in the novel construction and combination of the parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the engine. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the engine. Fig. 3 is an end view of the engine, showing the devices for operating the valves. Fig. 4 is a side view of the engine, looking from the opposite direction to the view shown in Fig. 1. Fig.5 is a longitudinal section through the rear end of the engine-cylinder and the con1bustion-chamber, drawn to a larger scale. Fig. 6 is a cross-section through the inlet and exhaust valves, taken on the line 2 2 in Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a horizontal section through the combustionohamber and the inlet and exhaust valves, showing a modification in the construction of those parts. Fig. 8 is a cross-section taken Fig. 9 is a vertical section through the valve of the starting-reservoir. through the air and gas pumps. Fig. 11 is a sectional end view of the same, taken on the line 4 4 in Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is adetail section through the dash-pot and the air and gas valves. Fig. 13 is a longitudinal section through theignition-pump, and Fig. 14 is a sectional plan view of the same.

A is the engine-cylinder, provided with a piston A, and a is the connecting-rod, which communicates the motion of the said piston to the engine-crank a.

B is the crank-shaft, and b is the crank for working the air and gas pumps. The crank b is coupled to the piston B of the air-pump by means of the connecting-rod b. The crank Cl, is set from forty-five to ninety de- Fig. 10 is a longitudinal sectiongrees in advance of the crank Z), according to the pressure at which the engine is arranged to work, and both cranks move in the direction of the arrow in Fig. l.

O is the air-pump, and D is the gas-pump, arranged one behind the other and drawn to a larger scale in. Figs. 10 and 11. The plunger D of the gas-pump is secured to the piston B of the air-pump, so that both are worked by the same connecting-rod b. The air-pump O is provided with the air-inlet valve 0 and the air-outlet valve 0, as shown in Fig. 11, and O is a valve for controlling the entrance of air through the opening 5'to the under side of the valve 0. A lever 6 is secured to the spindle of the valve 0 and is connected with the speed-governor, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

The gas-pump D is provided with the gasinlet valve cl and the gas-outlet valve 01, and 7 is a valve for controlling the entrance of the gas through the opening 8 to the under side of the valve (1. The spindle of the valve 7 is provided with a lever 9 and is connected with the speed-governor, as will be more fully described hereinafter. The opening Sis provided with a gas-cock l0, and in order that the pump may be made to pump both gas and air when desired a second cook 11, as shown in Fig. 3, is provided and communicates with the atmosphere and with the under side of the valve (1 through the opening 11.

The gas-pump forces gas or a mixture of gas and air through the pipe 12 and the valve 13 into the rear of the combustion chamber E, and the air-pump forces air through the pipe 14. and the valve 15 into the said combustion-chamber. The combustionchamber E is provided with perforations e and is surrounded by an annular regenerator F, consisting of wire-gauze or other finely-divided metallic material. The regenerator and the combustion-chamber are supported centrally at the rear end of the chamber E, which forms aprolongation of the cylinderA and is firmly secured to it. Aprojecting cap 0' secures the regenerator and combustion chamber in position, and is provided with radiating passages 16, through which a portion of the air may pass direct from the inlet;

valve to the chamber E without going through the regenerator and the perforated walls of the combustion-chamber.

The cylinder A is provided with a cold-waterjacketin the usual manner; but the chamber E is not provided with a jacket, as it is desirable that it should be kept as hot as possible.

F is a hollow head secured to the piston, which fits within the chamber E when the piston is pushed back, and f is a concave recess in the end of thehead F. A removable concave pan f is secured in the recess f and fits closely against the cap without touching it. This pan is made of nickel or cast-iron and covers the end of the combustion-chainber,so that the flame impinges directly against the pan, which may be renewed as it becomes burned away.

The passages 16-permit an annular bodyof cold air-to enter the chamber E around its circumference and between its walls and the central body offiame projected within it, so that the walls of the said chamber may be kept from being unduly heated. The gas or mixture of gas and air which enters through the valve 13 passesthroughthe annular regulating-valve 17 and is projected centrally in to theopen end of the ignition-tube 18, which is supportedin-the combustion-chamberE. The air whichsurrounds the said tube 18 is drawn into its'open rear end by the inrushing gas and forms an inflammable mixture, which is ignited within the said tube 18,,as will be morefully described hereinafter. Theignited gas rushes out into the combustion-chamber and intothechamber E as the piston is propelled forward and heats the surplus air pumped through the passage 16, which air by its expansion assists in driving forward the piston and-insures the complete combustion of every'particle of gas within the cylinder. A spray ofliquid hydrocarbon may be forced into the combustion-chamber instead of gas, or theliquid hydrocarbon may first be vaporized in any approved manner and then pumped into the combustionchanlber.

Vhen the engine-piston commences its outstroke, the gas-pump and the air-pump have compressed the supply of gas and air previ ously drawn in by them into the rear halves oftheir respective pump-barrels and into the combustion-chamber. This compressed mixture-isignited and propels the piston forward, the supply of gas and air being kept up by the said pumps until their pistons arrive nearly at the rear ends of their strokes and the engine-piston is at about the middle of itsstroke. The supply of gas and air is then cut off, and the engine-piston completes the second half of its stroke by the expansion of the heated gases within the engine-cylinder. The back-stroke is accomplished by the power stored up in the tlywheel 19.

Gr is the exhaust-valve, which is opened as soon as thepiston commences its rear stroke,

and which is held open until the piston arrives at the end of its rear stroke.

The inlet and exhaust valves are actuated from the shaft H in the following manner: H is a longitudinal shaft driven through the pair of beveled wheels h by the engine crankshaft and connected to the shaft H by a similar pair of beveled wheels, one of which is shown in Fig. 3, so that the shaft H revolves at the same speed as the crank-shaft. A cam 20, secured upon the shaft H, operates directly upon the spindle 21 of the air-inlet valve 15, and the spindle 22 of the gas-inlet valve 13 is operatively connected with the said spindle 21 by means of the lever 23 and the rod Q-t. The exhaust-valve G is opened by the cam g, secured upon the shaft H, which operates directly upon the exhaust-valve spindle g. Both air inlet and exhaust valves are provided with springs 25 for closing them automatically when the cams release their spindles.

The ignition of the inflammable gas is effected in the following manner: I is the ignition-pump secured to the engine-bed and driven from the eccentric 1 secured upon the shaft H by means of the eccentric-rod t.

This pump preferably works without valves,

the pipe '28 and the inlet 29 the gas and air rush into the pump. The plunger compresses the gas and air within the pump, and when the plunger arrives at nearly the end of its stroke a third passage 30 in the plunger permits the mixed compressed gas and air to pass out of the pump through it and through the check-valve3l into the pipe The pipe 32 is connected to theignition-tube 18, and 33 is a gas-burner which surrounds the pipe and is supp ied with gas through a pipe 33. The jet of flame issuing from the burner makes the pipe red-hot, so that the mixture of gas and air from the ignition-pump is ignited and is forced into the ignition-tube, where it ignites the gas of the combustible mixture in the said tube, and thereby drives the engine, as hereinbefore described.

In the modification shown in Figs. 7 and 8 the exhaust-valve is provided with a hollow stem, and the stem of the air-inlet valve passes through the said hollow stem of the exhaust-valve, and the regenerator is also dispensed with. This arrangement permits of only one passage being used for both valves instead of two passages, as shown in 'Fig. 6, and this arrangement is advisable when the engine is to be worked with a highly-compressed mixture of gas and air, as it reduces ICC all the cylinder clearance-space to the least possible amount. The exhaust-gases pass through the annular regenerator on their way to the exhaust-valve and part with a large portion of their heat to it. The heat thus absorbed is taken up by the entering air from the air-pump, so that this heatis transformed into power and utilized during the next outstroke. I

The regulation of the speed of the engine is controlled by the governor J and the linkwork j, which may be of any approved construction. The lever (B of the air-valve C and the lever 9 of the gas-valve 7 are pivotally connected together and to the piston k of the dash-pot K by means of the rods 7;. This dash-pot is clearly shown in Fig. 12 and may be of any ordinary approved construction adapted to prevent the said valves from being acted upon too suddenly by the governor.

The valves 0' and 7 are operated by means of the crank M, secured upon the shaft 11, and the rod m, pivoted to the said crank and to the pin m, which slides in the slots to of the lever 6, which operates the air-valve. The link j of the governor link-work is also connected to the pin m, and the gas and air valves are opened more or less, according to the position of the pin in the said slots, which is regulated by the governor. The rod m also forms a convenient means for actuating the lubricator P, to which it is pivotally connected by the reciprocating rod 19, as shown in Fig. 4.

It is preferable to admlt a little air to the gas-pump to be compressed with the gas.

The air is not admitted in such quantity as to form an explosive mixture in the said pump, but only in sufficient quantity to avoid the condensation of the gas under pressure and to assist it in mixing readily with the air in the ignition-tube. The ignition-tube may be provided with holes p, if desired, to permit the air to mix the more easily with the inflammable gas.

When the supply of gas and air to the pumps is cut oif by the governor, the pumps will perform the latter portion of their suction-strokes under a partial vacuum; but no power is lost thereby, as the said partial vacuum aids in drawing forward the plungers during the first part of their next compression-strokes before the compression of the gas and air commences. The ignition-pump should be made to compress its charge to a pressure rather above that of the charge which enters the ignition-tube from themain pumps, and the ignition pump should be which is operated by the lever r and the rod 4-, and which may be of any approved construction;

S is a pipe which communicates with the reservoir and with the starting-valve s, which is provided with the outlet 3, which communicates with the air-inlet-valve chest through the port If when the valve is turned to bring the said outlet in line with the port t. hen the engine has made a few revolutions, the valve 8 is turned so-as to shut off the air, as shown in Fig. 9, and the ignition of the charge in the combustion-chamber keeps the engine in motion. A small valve T is provided in the valve 8 and communicates with the portt by the small passage t when the said valve 3 is closed. This permits the air-pump to force a small quantity of compressed air into the starting-reservoir at each stroke, so that when the engine stops the said reservoir is charged with a supply of compressed air ready for use when the engine is to be started again.

- Vhat we claim is 1. In a gasengine, the combination, with an engine-cylinder provided with a piston and a combustion-chamber, of separate pumps for gas and for air, a crank-shaft provided with a crank connected to the engine-piston and a second crank following the first said crank in the direction ofits revolution and adapted to drive the pumps, separate pipes connecting. the gas-pump and the air-pump with the said combustion-chamber, and means for igniting the inflammable gas centrally within the charge of air in the combustion-chamber, substantially as set forth.

2. In a gas-engine, the combination, with a water-jacketed cylinder, of a chamber behind the cylinder, a combustion-chamber projecting centrally within the said chamber and adapted to deliver its charge direct into the cylinder, a piston provided With a head having a concave recess at its rear end, and a removable concave pan for the flame from the combustion-chamber to impinge against, secured in the said recess and adapted to cover the open front end of the said combustionchamber, substantially as set forth.

3. In a gas-engine, the combination, with chamber E, of the perforated combustionchamber projecting centrally within the said chamber, an annular regenerator surrounding the combustion-chamber, and a cap covering the ends of the combustion-chamber and regenerator and provided with radial passages, whereby an annular column of air may be forced direct into the said chamber, substantially as set forth.

4.. In a gas-engine, the combination, with the chamber E, of the combustion-chamber projecting centrally within the said chamber and provided with lateral openings for air, an open-ended ignition-tube supported within the combustion-chamber, a valve for injecting gas within the said tube and mixing it with the air, and means for igniting the said gas in the tube, substantially as set forth.

IIO.

5. In a gas-engine, the combination, with the chamberE', of the perforated combustionchamber, the annular regenerator, the projecting cap provided with radial passages for admitting a portion of the air into the chamber direct and without passing through the regenerator, an open-ended i gnition-tube supported within the combustion-chamber, a valve for injecting gas within the said tube and mixing the gas with the air from the regenerator, and means for igniting the said gas in the tube, substantially as set forth.

6. In a gas-engine, the combination, with the engine cylinder and its combustionchamber, of separate pumps for gas and air driven direct from the engine crankshaft, a single shaft at the rear of the cylinder, intermediate driving-wheels positively connecting the said shaft With the crank-shaft, separate trip-valves for admitting compressed gas and compressed air to the combustion-chamber, an exhaustvalve, and cams secured upon the said shaft for opening the said inlet and exhaust valves, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, with the ignition-p u mp provided with separate inlet-openings at one end for air and gas and an outlet for the compressed inflammable mixture, of the pump-plunger provided with inlet-passages permitting the pump to be filled with air and gas at one end of its stroke and adapted to close the communication between the said passages and openings when it commences its returnstroke, and a third passage in the plunger permitting the compressed mixture to pass through it to the said outlet when the piston has nearly completed its said returnstroke, substantially as set forth.

8.111 a gas-engine, the combination, with the separate pumps for gas and air driven direct from/the engine crank-shaft and provided, respectively, with valves for regulating the admission of gas and air, of levers secured to the said admission-valve stems, rods pivotally connecting the said levers, a reciprocating rod driven from the engine for oscillating the said levers and opening the gas and air valves, and a speed-governor operatively connected to the said rod and adapted to vary the amplitude of the said oscillations of the valve-levers, substantially as set forth.

J. In a gas-engine, the combination, with a combustion-chamber containing an inflammable mixture of gas and air and the gas and air pumps for supplying the said mixture, of a separate ignition-pump adapted to compress an inflammable charge of gas and air to a pressure exceeding that of the mixture in the combustion-chamber, a pipe provided with a check-valve and connecting the 6o said ignition-pump direct to the combustiontion-chamber, and means, such as a gasburner, for making a portion of the said pipe red-hot, whereby the mixture from the ignition-pump may be ignited and projected within the combustion-chamber, substantially as set forth.

10. In a gas-engine, the combination, with the engine-cylinder, of the starting-reservoir for compressed air, a plug-valve for admit- 7o ting the compressed air from the reservoir into the cylinder, and a lift-valve in the plug of the said valve, communicating with the said reservoir and adapted to communicate with the compressed-air-supply pipe of the engine through a small passage when the plug-valve is closed, whereby a portion of the supply of compressed air to the cylinder may be forced into the reservoir until the said reservoir is sufficiently recharged, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD ORGWE. IIENRY CRO\VE. Witnesses:

JOHN R. FRENCH, 3 Ha rtz'n-gton Road,Stocktonon- Tees, Solicitor.

THOMAS WILKINsoN, Nomi 70cm Street, Zhirldlcsbrough, SOZ'iCiZfOFS era. 

